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Exit Polls And Early Voting Results For 2012 About To Come In, But Campaigns Urge A Grain Of Salt

Exit polls and early voting results for the 2012 election are expected as early as 5 PM today for the former and have already arrived in the latter, and both the Romney and Obama campaigns have urged voters to take first results with a grain of salt.

Exit polls and early voting results for 2012 are a hotly watched property, after a season where presidential polls felt like extra innings in the World Series. Polls have been widely in flux for the past few weeks, until Obama seemed to take a strong and decisive lead over Romney in just the past few days.

In fact, poll whiz Nate Silver upped President Obama’s chances of a win to over 90% late last night on his popular 538 blog, essentially betting the ranch and his career on an incumbent win this election night. Silver currently projects Barack Obama to win a landslide 313 votes in the Electoral College to Mitt Romney’s projected 225 electoral votes, with a 90.9% chance of an Obama win and only 9.1% for Romney.

Silver says early voting trends and polls in Ohio (where exit polls may again come in as early as 5 PM) are the sticking point for Romney, and even the most die-hard GOP poll watchers believe that without Ohio, Romney has no path to 270:

“Ohio remains the largest problem for Mr. Romney, where he has been behind in most polls all year. Mr. Romney might ordinarily take some solace in the fact that Ohio is slightly Republican-leaning, but the auto bailout may have changed its character this year, as there is evidence that Mr. Obama is performing more strongly with working-class voters in Ohio than he is elsewhere in the country … Mr. Obama could secure the Electoral College by winning Wisconsin, Nevada and Pennsylvania, along with Ohio.”

Of his presidential poll, exit poll and early voting in 2012 assessment, Silver uses poker to explain his confidence in an Obama win:

“All of this leaves Mr. Romney drawing to an inside straight. I hope you’ll excuse the cliché, but it’s appropriate here: in poker, making an inside straight requires you to catch one of 4 cards out of 48 remaining in the deck, the chances of which are about 8 percent. Those are now about Mr. Romney’s chances of winning the Electoral College, according to the FiveThirtyEight forecast.”

Silver adds:

“As any poker player knows, those 8 percent chances do come up once in a while. If it happens this year, then a lot of polling firms will have to re-examine their assumptions — and we will have to re-examine ours about how trustworthy the polls are. But the odds are that Mr. Obama will win another term.”

But the Obama camp isn’t getting ahead of their skis, as the President would say, nor have they begun resting on their laurels in what seems to be an early and decisive win for their team.

Stephanie Cutter, a visible and senior advisor to Obama, urged caution in interpreting exit polls and early voting in 2012 as Americans eagerly await an end to the never-ending election cycle.

Cutter urged poll watchers to keep it together, saying:

“My warning, we need to stay calm for much of the day … We’ve already banked a pretty big portion of our vote.”

And indeed, exit polls (if not early voting results) wound up being a major player in 2000, and some believe that eagerness in predicting a result added to the confusion in the infamous and arduous Bush/Gore upset that year. Television news prematurely calling the election for Bush was considered by many a factor in muddying the waters, and we all know how that turned out.

The AP looked last month at the influence of exit polls in recent elections last month, and explained that TV news has become more circumspect in reporting the results due to the elections in 2000 and 2004:

“The news organizations completely rebuilt their exit poll system after the 2000 embarrassment, when TV networks mistakenly called the race for George W. Bush when it wasn’t decided until a month later (the AP mistakenly called Florida for Bush, retracted it but, unlike the networks, never called the overall race for Bush). In 2004, early exit poll results overestimated the strength of Democrat John Kerry.”

So as exit polls and early voting results in 2012 filter in, be wary — and as always, don’t let the projected results stop you from voting.

Romney is in Ohio right now begging for forgiveness, Talking Out of his Ass about the Auto Bail Out cost him big-time, So he's hanging around trying to see if he can get some people to change their minds about him, but he burned that Bridge, and he has no construction skills to rebuild it, This is an example of what happens in America when you don't actually support the middle class, And now, there's an Investigation looking into the 15 million dollars Romney and his wife made off the Auto Bailout, So he says let them go Bankrupt, but makes 15 million dollars off the process, This disqualifies Romney from ever being President Ever!

This writer obviously is so liberal she can't get her facts straight. In 2000, they called it for Gore, not Bush, which led to the controversy. Also, where's Obama's substantial lead in the last several days she talked about? He's up by 0.7 percent in real clear average and continues to trail in the very reliable Rasmussen survey and Gallup polls. I can't wait to see the media's reaction if Romney wins tonight and I think he will.

Look Gary, did the auto bailout help the big 3. Hell yes it did, does that make it right….no. It was completely unconstitutional for the government to take MY money and give it to any business. What makes them so much more deserving than the local store down the road that went out of business. Shouldn't they have gotten a bailout also. Good or bad the bailout was wrong. Don't steal from me and redistribute our money how they want.

Look Gary, did the auto bailout help the big 3. Hell yes it did, does that make it right….no. It was completely unconstitutional for the government to take MY money and give it to any business. What makes them so much more deserving than the local store down the road that went out of business. Shouldn't they have gotten a bailout also. Good or bad the bailout was wrong. Don't steal from me and redistribute our money how they want.

Romney can finally stop running for president and go to one of his homes and cry about all the money he wasted. Statistically the republicans should have won easily but you have such a bad candidate….Im sorry.

Romney can finally stop running for president and go to one of his homes and cry about all the money he wasted. Statistically the republicans should have won easily but you have such a bad candidate….Im sorry.

That money was an Investment in the Future of America, and It paid off big-time, and the Auto Industry is now number 1 in the world!! so you are saying that we should have let that Industry just die off, and millions of American jobs lost, because you are upset that they used "your money" to get the job done Are you serious?

That money was an Investment in the Future of America, and It paid off big-time, and the Auto Industry is now number 1 in the world!! so you are saying that we should have let that Industry just die off, and millions of American jobs lost, because you are upset that they used "your money" to get the job done Are you serious?

The republicans are really loosing their stronghold, old wealthy white men are dying off. I am wondering how they are going to re-invent themselves….Caucasions are making up less of the population every year, the religious base is shrinking as well…..mmmmmm looks like a problem.

For whom? Obama kept the Bush tax cuts. Repubs are all alike,Want small govt,more money.I find it amusing how the repubs here in new jersey hate Obama,but whgen the storm came who's the first ones with their hands out for govt. money.

First off again the government has no constitutional right to invest my money in anything. I mean social security is such a fantastic investment. Again it does not matter what it did how many jobs it saved that is not the issue Gary wake the fuck up. The government has no right to do what they did. Did you hear me argue that it did not help? Again does the means justify the end is all I'm asking you….Do you not understand that or is money more important than our liberty and freedoms?

Devin Langley, it wasn't just the auto industry that benefited. Hundreds of support industries employing thousands of people that rely on the auto makers also survived. If the big three failed it would have greatly impacted steel, aluminum, plastics, machine shops, glass makers, tool and die businesses, rubber manufacturers, audio suppliers, computer designers and all their associated sub-industries, etc. The Bullshit Mountain (aka Fox news) prism distorts the reality of what really happened. Many, many Republicans voted for the bailouts. Before the Teabaggers got hold of the conservative agenda, there were actually considerate right-wingers. Sadly, they have become the puppets of the Koch brothers.

Sorry, Gallup has Romney up 50-49. Rasmussen was one the most accurate polls last year and came within one percentage of nailing it exactly right. But I know Rasumussen seems like a joke to liberals because it doesn't cater to their fantasies.

My real hope it, that after the votes are counted, the partisan bickering that has paralyzed our Governemnt will be set aside. Americans should demand that their representatives in Congress support our President-elect as soon as that individual is determined. It is time to get about the business of governing once the majority has spoken. Let us all, as patriotic Americans, promise that we will support our President-elect and demand an end to the divisiveness in Washington. We are a house divided and will fall if we do not rally behind our leader. We have let Democracy work, now lets get behind the result. No more obstructionism; please, don't be bitter losers.

Denise the argument of paid off is a moot point…Made money lost money saved jobs who cares it was not right for the government to step in any civilian industry and bail them out. That is socialism, no matter how you look at it. Let us live and die by our decisions, the government has no right to "bailout" companies, people anything. It is not their place. It amazes me how people are so willing to give up their freedoms for promises of more jobs, more money, better health care. Politicians have realised our votes are up for sale through the public dole…. You wonder why politicians are so corrupted it's people like you that sell your vote to these promises…

Silver, you're an idiot. How do you qualify Romney as having an inside straight draw for a hand? Despite national polls that have him only trailing Obama by 1 percent. And secondly who plays poker by themselves? Horrible analogy derived by an obvious moron!

Why does everyone seem to forget that "Government" money is supplied by EVERY working person and EVERY corporation that hires that working person. That means that I helped supply that money and YOU helped supply that money. I don't remember the IRS caring what party I was affiliated with when I filed my taxes. If we spend our money like the government spends our money, we would be thought of as a few fries short of a happy meal and lose everything we have. Oh Wait … because of job loss and underemployment we are already losing things. We need someone that understands numbers, not an attorney that wants to hire a secretary of business to do his job for him.

But that doesn't matter, since we don't use a popular vote. Obama is up in all the states that matter, and projected to win the popular vote as well. There's no evidence to the contrary, as far as state polling; the most recent numbers unanimously show him leading by significant margins. If you want to believe the polls are wrong, that's fine, but there's absolutely zero evidence of that outside a desire for the situation to be different.

I agree with you 100% Devin…my response was to Gary's idiocy. Gary… you are starting to sound like your Messiah…. you need to look up a few terms like 'free thinking," "the buck stops here," and "want some cheese with that whine?"

Devin Langley: "Let me ask you this….If I go to my neighbor and steal 10 dollars. Go to the casino with it, and hit for 10 million. Go back and give my neighbor all 10 million….I'm still a thief, right……"

Okay, this is a genuine question to all those claiming Romney is going to win. What are you basing this on? All the available data indicates exactly the opposite. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm legitimately curious why you're all so sure of this. Could someone enlighten me?

Devin Langley: "Let us live and die by our decisions, the government has no right to "bailout" companies, people anything. It is not their place."

So the government should not provide police, fire, or military services either? Those are all functions of government that bailout citizens from one form of trouble or another.

What you say above is the straight line Libertarian/Objectivist point-of-view. Unfortunately, there's exactly zero reason to believe that any society could ever either actually achieve it or maintain it for long if it did.

Yes Steve I do have a lot of Libertarian views, to a point. I believe in states rights, the federal government has over stepped their bounds. As for the 10 dollars god bless you that is your "Choice" to do so, at least you have one.

Devin Langley Last year was one for the record books at General Motors (GM): 2011 was the most profitable year in the company's 103-year history.

Just a couple of years after the company's collapse into bankruptcy, GM's full-year income of $7.6 billion was remarkable. GM North America and GM International Operations (which includes China and Australia) posted solid profits after a year of increased sales that enabled GM to surpass Toyota (TM) to reclaim the title of global auto sales leader.

Also enhancing GM's bottom line was the company's improved pricing power. The company's much-improved recent products, like its acclaimed Chevy Cruze compact, can be sold at higher prices with fewer "cash back" incentives, leading to higher profits per sale.

Thanks in large part to the $50 billion government-assisted restructuring it received, and good management afterward, GM's U.S. operation is in good shape.

So now that GM is profitable, will it pay back Washington? Well, that depends on Europe. They have already paid back the majority of the loan!!!

Devin Langley You think it was a give-away, DEVIN, "IT WAS A LOAN" A LOAN DEVIN!!! Just a loan, the majority of the money was paid back to the Government with interest, So the People actually made money on the deal!! Imagine that!!!

Gary please read the posts again…..then ask someone to explain our points to you a little more, it's not about the bailout it's weather it was in the governments right to do so……Steve you and I can argue our points for hours, I do respect your views. Don't agree with them but respect them. Just explain to me where it is in our federal governments right to take money a distribute it where it pleases.

it's based on the fact that almost every non-Rasmussen/Gallup poll out there polls 6-10% more people that identify themselves as democrats than people that identify themselves as republicans. So when you see the final number of 50/49 or whatever, it's assuming the democratic turnout will be higher than the republican turnout by that 6-10%, similar to 2008 which is not a safe assumption.

Thank you for your honest, civil answer. Silver's model accounts for that, though, as well for the possibility that the polls are actually skewed. He wrote a very interesting article on 11/2 about how, if Romney were to win, the state polls must be statistically biased. I've linked to it, because it's a phenomenally thorough discussion of the kinds of things we're talking about. I mean, on one level, it's pretty much a moot point since we're about to find out how accurate they were in a few hours, I just think it's an interesting discussion.

Especially when you consider that the upper middle class is shrinking, too. And not in the direction of wealth, which doesn't bode well for the Republican party. They're going to have to shift their focus and my guess is that it will be toward educated women and educated minorities. They're never going to regain the top spot without gaining in those directions but it's gonna be a near-impossible battle. We're not easily fooled by rhetoric. That being said, we're more prone to vote the candidate and not the ticket, so give us an exceptional Republican candidate and we may just get behind him.

Gary, you really need to work on your economics. First GM will never pay the entire bill back. There will be $25 Billion that will never be paid back. Second, the way that Obama did the auto bailout cost us the tax payer an extra $5 Billion because of the timing. Third, President-Elect Romney stated to let GM and Chrysler to go through a MANAGED bankruptcy that would be secured by the Government. GM and Chrysler went through bankruptcy, but the Government held the loans, instead of SECURING the loans. There is a difference. Fourth, yes it's true that Jeep is not moving to China. But there is a new Jeep plant in Italy (Home of Fiat that owns Chrysler) and they will be building Jeeps there, that will be exported to the U.S. Also, GM will start building Cadillac's in China. Now you may say that they are expanding operations, but in reality, we used to export those to China. Now they will be built there, so in essence there will still be jobs that are not added here that could have been. I hope this sums it up enough for you and you really start to think about all this.

Devin Langley how do you think roads are made and schools are paid for? let see here. follow along, because this gets kind of hard to understand. you pay taxes, they take your money and redistribute into other programs. crazy!

yep, the only poll that really counts is coming in a few hours. At least I hope we know the results soon and don't have to hear about hanging chad or conspiracies, etc, tired of all the uncivil crap so I try to keep it honest and factual.

Well I don't think that Romney is a bad candidate. People just didn't know him. And you look at what the Dems have done, is picture him as a womanizing, job killing, baby eating, extremist. Which of course is farthest from the truth. Too bad you don't do any research to learn this for yourself and just listen to your teachers or CNN. I'm proud to stand behind Mitt.

Robert Vessey: I might have accepted that Romney is not a bad candidate if he hadn't said the exact opposite things (sometimes within hours) to different groups. This is all well-documented with video.

In addition, the party whose platform he's running on has, essentially, abandoned rationality.

It's not likely that the Republican Agenda will be altered to include minorities and blacks, it's their age old policies that haven't changed for generations, For The Republican Party to make such a transformation there would be a civil war in the republican party, the extremists will have to be run out, and the moderates would have to take back control of the party, this is not likely to happen, their far right wing agenda, will surely overtake any effort to make the party more inclusive for blacks and minorities, it would be great to see the republican party make those changes, and come into the 21st century, but right now it;s 1952 on their calendar!!!

T.A. Truesdale … Illegal to loiter outside a polling place…hang campaign posters or paint murals inside a polling place…post thugs outside…forcibly remove court appointed poll observers…register 73 times…vote multiple times….All of these things are being done by Democrats this year …Well, to be fair, they do that during every election, so…

Steve Sommers : You say "So the government should not provide police, fire, or military services either? Those are all functions of government that bailout citizens from one form of trouble or another."

Do i really need to explain the difference to you Steve? Those are all public servants… who are paid BY THE TAXPAYERS. God help us if the Gestapo starts taking over those things. But, i digress….the damn motor companies are private businesses… the police, firemen, etc are public works…the military IS our governments responsibility for the sake of national security. Our government should NOT be in the business of bailing out the private sector with taxpayer money!!! Got it?

GOP is trying to JIM Crow their way to a win and cheat, and have voting Machines that only select Romney, and make it impossible to vote in certain minority districts…its not a coincidence. They know if minority turn out is high its game over, so they are trying to cheat and supress. its not going to work. The American people wont stand for it and Obama will win.

Someone that understands numbers? Well, when you look at the world in such a simplistic, 2-year old way, I suppose you can easily ignore the fact that Romney refuses to be forthright or honest about anything, including numbers. Besides, his numbers are those of a predatory hostile takeover firm harvesting American companies for personal wealth, while killing off jobs and leaving families with no health care. Some people will just never open their mind or eyes.

I find it hilarious how Devin Langley bitches about the auto bailout, which successfully saved the American auto industry and kept families employed and covered by health care… But doesn't bitch about the financial industry bailout, which was a Busch initiative that put government welfare in the pockets of super-rich financial criminals who only abused it.

I'm from Detroit, just moved to Florida in recent months. First, thank God for the auto-bailouts. In Michigan, our economy is tied so tightly to the automotive industry, if it would've collapsed nearly everyone would have lost their jobs or directly known someone who had lost their job. My father and uncle lost their jobs. With that lack of workers, our (Michigan's) economy was crippled severely. Many of those workers started in the plants right out of high school so very few had education and with the economy in the state it was in the demand for workers with no education was extremely low. In short, thousands of workers were laid off with nowhere to go.

Because the bailout was sucessful in stabilizing the auto industry, the plants began hiring again. My father and uncle are back on the line, and even my sister has a job in the factory. Michigan's entire economy is back up on the upswing because more workers are making money and putting it back into our community. The Made in Detroit movement, born out of auto industry workers is breathing new life and pride into the region. What you might not understand if you're not from there is that the automotive industry IS Michigan and IS Ohio. These line workers weren't knocking on the door of the White House begging for welfare, they wanted their JOBS back, and because of the bailout they got just that and our auto industry is as strong as it has ever been. No one reached into your bank account and stole from you, the government used tax dollars to rescue the region and industry that were on the brink of collapse and those workers who had no part in the industry's failure are able to work again. I don't care who called for the bailout first, it was the right thing to do.

Steve you can't be serious. Let's see. The GOP controlled house has put forth around 13 bills that were not even put up for a vote in the Senate that is controlled by the Democrats. And you are stating that the Republicans have abandoned rationality? Really? Three days after his inauguration, Barack Obama imperiously declared "I won," to cut off Republican arguments during their first official meeting, thus signalling his antagonistic, unyielding approach in dealing with his opposition. Obama continues his threats to veto any GOP legislation that doesn't conform to his radical agenda.

The Republican leadership was completely shut out of the writing of Obama's health care bill; the president then totally rejected the GOP's input during his big Obamacare TV summit meeting, and the leftists are now lecturing us on bipartisanship?

The GOP must first prevent America from being "fundamentally transformed" from a great, prosperous world leader into a weak, dispirited, socialist/welfare state by Obama's policies. Then they'll discuss bipartisanship.

Facts are a real problem for you guys. And I did see some interviews of people that stated that "Republicans should help President Obama." But when the interviewer said "What if Romney wins, should the Democrats work with him as well?" To which they responded "NO". Now you have Harry Reid who stated that they (Democrats) will not work with Romney. Who's being the obstructionist here? Give me a break. You had better look at the facts before spouting off things that can be proven and a facts. But thanks for playing.

Gary, Did you forget that it was in 1955 that Republican President Dwight Eisenhower administration bans racial segregation of interstate bus travel. September 30, 1953 Earl Warren, California’s three-term Republican Governor and 1948 Republican vice presidential nominee, nominated to be Chief Justice; wrote landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education. March 12, 1956 Ninety-seven Democrats in Congress condemn Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education, and pledge to continue segregation. June 5, 1956 Republican federal judge Frank Johnson rules in favor of Rosa Parks in decision striking down “blacks in the back of the bus” law. November 6, 1956 African-American civil rights leaders Martin Luther King and Ralph Abernathy vote for Republican Dwight Eisenhower for President. September 9, 1957 President Dwight Eisenhower signs Republican Party’s 1957 Civil Rights Act. So by the Republicans being stuck in the 50's on this I would think be a good thing. The Republican agenda has always been for ALL AMERICANS TO BE TREATED EQUAL. You just listen to too much of the propaganda machine to know the difference.

Robert Vessey: Robert, the Republican party began abandoning rationality when they allowed Christo-fascist to begin setting their social agenda and signed the idiotic Norquist pledge. The mutual fingerpointing about who is responsible for the lack of bipartisanship is an indication of…partisanship! It's freakin' ridiculous and I, for one, am tired of it.

"Facts are a real problem for you guys."

I found this sentence extremely ironic given the previous paragraph in your post. If Obama is a socialist, he's been a lousy one.

Nonetheless, you didn't bother to respond to the main point of my post which is about Mitt's inarguable mendacity during the whole campaign. Please don't bother offering an et tu argument. I see no rational reason to prefer Mitt's mendacity over Obama's. There's also no reason to believe that Mitt will do any better with a divided Congress than Obama did.

There are good reasons, given Mitt's performance in London during the Olympics, to believe that our foreign relations will take a huge hit. There are also good reasons to assume that Mitt will either: a) Attempt to raise taxes on the middle-class, or; b) Cut taxes for everyone and balloon the deficit even more.

The Republicans didn't have a single decent candidate….. Huntsman perhaps. The rest had baggage. What I cannot understand is why all these people would vote for Romnesia. This guy has more issues than Fig Newt Gingrich. Republicans are a dying party. Hispanics now make up a majority in Texas, and by 2020, two more elections the Republican party, they party of old, limp, white guys, rednecks with elementary school educations, and Heebs living in Kansas and Oklahoma will no longer be revelant. They will be replaced with a third party. Yep….a third party. A MAJORITY party of what is now minorities. Black, brown, gray will replace white as the major voting party. Why do you think Republicans are trying to stymie minority voting now with all these roadblocks? The only way Mittens Romnesia wins tonight is if he steals the election. God has spoken!

Daniel, Rasmussen was the most accurate in 2008 when Obama won. I think it's been one of the most accurate several election cycles in a row. Just because it doesn't support what you support, doesn't mean it's a joke. It's just telling the facts. In the 2008 election Rasmussen was 91% correct where your beloved Gallop was a dismal 73%. And according to Rasmussen Romney is up in: FL, NC, VA, IA, CO, and NH. OH and WI is a tie. Obama is up in NV. Just saying….

Daniel, Rasmussen was the most accurate in 2008 when Obama won. I think it's been one of the most accurate several election cycles in a row. Just because it doesn't support what you support, doesn't mean it's a joke. It's just telling the facts. In the 2008 election Rasmussen was 91% correct where your beloved Gallop was a dismal 73%. And according to Rasmussen Romney is up in: FL, NC, VA, IA, CO, and NH. OH and WI is a tie. Obama is up in NV. Just saying….

Lisa just like Mitt's Clasmate George W. or did you not know that they were Harvard MBS grads of the same class and by the way Romney is a Lawyer. Don't ask the people of Massachusetts their opinion of how Romney runs government he trails in that state by 30%

These are all wonderful accomplishments for the Republicans, publicly they are wonderful, The problem in America is the Private Sector, and the gap between the Rich and the Poor in American has never been wider, the "every man for himself" just doesn't work when the wealth in this country is concentrated among the mostly rich "white" corporate owners who are simply not willing to include the minorities and blacks and women in the world of the upper-class wealthy republicans, American corporations are flush with cash right now, and economic prosperity is not something that we can expect other Americans to provide for others, but, we would like to see some economic loyalty to the American consumer, and an effort to educate and those who would otherwise never get a chance to be a millionaire or even move up into the middle class, while were being hateful and inconsiderate to each other, the rest of the world is wondering just how long America can survive, when the greatest resource we have "THE AMERICAN PEOPLE" Is being wasted because of bigotry, racism, discrimination, which not only bankrupts us economically, but also politically and socially.

I don't even think that if Romney wins the Republican party will hae much to stand for at all. It will be the tea-baggers and the libertarians that gain a huge push on the death of the Republican party. There will be those who oppose any bi-partisan leadership of course, but fundamentally it will mean the end of their careers because no one can hold onto money without losing its value for 8 years…The economy will have an infusion of funds and it will be because the party will falter and people will become capitolistic rather then simply having an agenda of do nothing politics…. lets wait till Jan 21 because it will take that long to get over all the lies both sides will spread about voting violations.

Just a question "What political party immediatelly started gamingways to defeat the newly ignaugurated President on the same day he took the oath of Office? Answer the Republican Party, so how can people say that President Obama has been divisive when he was being plotted against imnmdeiately or when McConnell stated that their agenda was to see that President wouild become an one term President." My question is does this sound like something that borders on treason?

I also find it hilarious that otherwise uneducated divas want you to think they suddenly morphed into world-class economists and constitutional law experts, even as they're about to vote for a man who wants to regulate their reproductive rights and shows callous disrespect for women.

Obama is the ONLY president who has not had to answer on his record. He is the ONLY president where people have blamed the last 4 years of his term on the opposition, or previous president. We hear how the "republicans stone walled" him, yet other presidents have dealt with this by working WITH both sides and not just trying to bully bills through and then hide them with earmarks despite that very president claiming transparency and no earmarks.

Billy Jennings ..are you like 15, or how low is your IQ exactly? thats a lemming argument, he had a high approval rate as Govenor, the day Mass votes Red for potus hell will freeze over, your comment is meaningless

Robert Vessey Fascism: An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. Robert, Question? do we want a fascist corporate rule in America, do we want the continued Wealth Indifference that is really a drag on the Economy, Unless it an inclusive economy that allows for prosperity for every American, and without discrimination in housing, personal loans, and any other aspect of American society, then we are shooting ourselves in the foot with a shotgun, We as Americans have to rid ourselves of those Age Old bias's and hateful discriminatory policies that are Incorporated in to the social make-up of the Republican Party, until this transformation happens, America is a three wheeled cart, With a big portion of America being dragged in the economic Mud!!!

Steve Sommers Funny its the dems that while hating Chritianity and the supernatural buy into the warm fuzzy lies within the scripture of equal outcomes. If youre going to be an atheist get real and be a cut throat nilhist. Quit fucking around

Steve – Explain the Christo-fascist social agenda that you are referring to? The only one that comes to mind is the right to life. But there is nothing in ANYONE'S agenda to overturn Roe v. Wade. So your whole point of Christo-fascism is completely false. Who are you or I to tell a Catholic Church that they now have to supply birth control? If you don't like their beliefs, then find another hospital to go to. Make sure you live close enough to a non-religious hospital so you don't have to worry about it. But I don't think it's the governments responsibility to tell me what I can and can not believe in. Just like Planned Parenthood, I have no right to tell them to NOT supply birth control as long as they are privately funded. I agree that I'm tired of the partisanship as well, but that door does swing both ways. What I find amazing is a person on the right will listen to your opinion. We may shake our head, say have a nice day and walk on our merry way. But a person on the left will try and put a stop to whatever offended them in the first place. Making everyone abide by their moral compass. Here is an example for you. There is a Father/Daughter dance at a school. The same school had a Mother/Son softball game. Well one person was offended by this and now after 50 years of having this dance and softball game, they are no more. Because ONE person was offended by it. To me that is ridiculous. A person on the right would accept it and do their own thing. A person on the left will ruin it for everyone because they don't like it. Well all you folks on the left, it's time to put your big boy/girl pants on and accept that not everyone is willing to live like you do.

Now let's take a look at foreign policy under President Obama. Fast and Furious. President Obama sealed those records so no one will find out the truth for another 20 years. Now look at the "Arab Spring". What a mess that has turned out to be. We help overthrow Mubarak. Not really a bad thing, but President Obama didn't do his homework on who was taking over. The Muslim Brotherhood. That is bad for the U.S. and Israel. Forget about religion, Israel is our strongest ally in the region. Period. Then fast forward to Benghazi. That is a complete cover-up that has the potential of President Obama's impeachment. Then that leaves Joe Biden as President. You think that idiot could help our foreign policy? He stated himself "In the past 4 years, I have never been proud to serve with President Obama." I'm sure a slip of the tongue, but Joe has a lot of slips of the tongue.

Now last but not least, lets take a look at Romney's plan for taxes. I'm going to use some fictitious numbers for arguments sake, but they are going to be pretty close to reality. For a 20% tax cut across the board, it would cost around $480 Billion dollars. But looking under the hood of the government budget, Romney finds $1.1 Trillion that could be cut. He gives that to congress and says, you guys work it out on what you are willing to cut. Easily they could compromise the $480 Billion that the tax cuts would cost in spending by the government all the while giving the citizen a tax break. But just like when Pelosi said "You have to pass the bill, to see what's in the bill." Romney needs access to the budget to see what can be cut from the budget. That doesn't require a tax hike on the middle class. But under President Obama's plan for 2013 you can guarantee that all our taxes are going to go up. And even the CBO has stated that by 2016 we will be at $20 Trillion in debt by President Obama. This is not a maybe, this is a fact. So who's going to balloon the deficit?

I dont think Romney not Obama is going to win yet. I think its a close race, what makes you think its in the bag is a much better question. Gallup shows a dead heat, and its the most accurate poll for years. Repubs are more motivated than in 2008 and I dont think Dems share the same enthusiams and voter turnout wont be whats expected for Dems

I read several interesting articles yesterday that alternatively gave landslides to Romney, landslides to Obama, and a close race to both candidates. All of them were based on "polls." It is important to remember that no model is perfect, and that even small things can greatly affect the outcome of the poll. I will tell you my own observation, while we are at it: this is one of the most divisive races I have ever witnessed, and most people who are going to vote feel strongly one way or another. I think it will ultimately come down to voter turnout, and as someone else mentioned, that may be bad news for the president, who has not been able to generate the heat of 2008 in this election. You will also have a negative tide to deal with from those who perceive themselves to have been hurt by Obama's policies, who are angry about Benghazi, or whatever the case may be. Ironically, people who are angry are far more likely to get out and vote than those who are complacently happy with the status quo–which is why I believe neither of the parties can maintain momentum for very long. As soon as you fix things, you start to lose your base to complacency.

of course they do, what does that have to do with higher tax rates? Higher tax rates does a few things one thing it never guarantees is higher tax revenue. There are tax free bonds that become attractive, long term higher taxes are never advocated under any circumstances no matter how laisez faire or austrain on oeither side of the pendulum the ecomonic theory may be.

Steve, hold on a second. I'm a person of that Republican Party today. I would gladly vote for Condoleezza Rice. I think she is a fantastic woman that I admire. From what I've read about Mia Love, she seems like a stand up person as well. I still have great respect for Colin Powell who is a Republican but has given his endorsement to President Obama. I don't think that you would find very many Republicans that would NOT vote for Eisenhower.

Gary I do understand your point. You are right, there are not as many "blacks and women in the world of upper-class wealthy republicans". But not because they are not welcome. It's because they choose to be Democrats. An article in The Washington Times alerted me to research from 6th November by Michael Franc at The Heritage Foundation. Mr Franc shows that the wealthiest Americans are increasingly likely to vote Democrat:

"Democrats now control the majority of the nation's wealthiest congressional jurisdictions. More than half of the wealthiest households are concentrated in the 18 states where Democrats control both Senate seats. This new political demography holds true in the House of Representatives, where the leadership of each party hails from different worlds. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, represents one of America's wealthiest regions. Her San Francisco district has more than 43,700 high-end households. Fewer than 7,000 households in the western Ohio district of House Republican leader John Boehner enjoy this level of affluence."

And if that's surprising to some we should also remember the recent Arthur Brooks research that showed that conservatives give more to good causes:

"People who identify themselves as conservatives donate money to charity more often than people who identify themselves as liberals. They donate more money and a higher percentage of their incomes. It is not that conservatives have more money. Liberal families average 6 percent higher incomes than conservative families."

So Gary, I think the problem here is that there aren't enough blacks and women that have broken that barrier. But it's not a barrier that I would like to believe that Republicans have put forth for them, but limitations that they have put on themselves. Look I think it's great that Oprah is worth $2.2 Billion dollars. She earned it. I'm not jealous of her because she has it. I applaud her for making it happen. The thing that I do believe is a fundamental difference is that as a "conservative" I understand that no one owes me anything. Whereas the "liberal" believes that people do owe them something for nothing. But on the flip, as a "conservative" I do have a responsibility to help my neighbors in times of need. I live in an area that can be affected by hurricanes. We learn real quick to take care of each other. Regardless of race, creed, or religion.

Equal opportunity not equal outcomes, you want to creat an unnatural oreder thats an illusion. If you think White rich old men are dying off you should be more worried aho will pay for your faux system

David L Cooper How daft are you? Defense contractors arent "bailed out" if you dont know the difference you lack IQ and shoudlnt be able to vote. lets take iit a step further are defense contractors run by unions? Unions who make billions"negotiating" labor, its no secret union labor costs more to get he smae job done, whether the principal is private or public… get back to stuttering

@Levi Convirs, you are wrong. Fox called Florida for Bush just after 2 AM, which is now widely believed to have influenced the outcome. "Most major television news networks had originally called Florida for Gore (before the polls closed in Florida), but retracted the call around 10 p.m. EST. Fox News was the first to lead the charge the other way, acting on data that included this impossible Volusia County 216th precinct data, completely altering the close race with a sudden 18,000+ vote margin opening up for Bush over Gore. Fox News called Florida for Bush at 2:16 a.m. on November 8, with other networks following in the next few minutes. These calls were then retracted and Florida declared too close to call once the Volusia error was reported to the networks." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volusia_error

Devin Langley The government can do whatever it wants, The President can go to war without permission from congress, Listen I'd just as soon see that money in the pockets of Average Americans, but if they have to save to company and keep the corporations in business to get that money in their pockets, so be it, I don't want to see the government over reach, but I am not willing to let hard working Americans lose their economic prosperity in this country, over some age old right wing Idea that the Government shouldn't step in, when it's really needed to support the economy and jobs and prosperity for Middle Class Americans!!

Devin Langley The government can do whatever it wants, The President can go to war without permission from congress, Listen I'd just as soon see that money in the pockets of Average Americans, but if they have to save to company and keep the corporations in business to get that money in their pockets, so be it, I don't want to see the government over reach, but I am not willing to let hard working Americans lose their economic prosperity in this country, over some age old right wing Idea that the Government shouldn't step in, when it's really needed to support the economy and jobs and prosperity for Middle Class Americans!!

Rick NO president in HISTORY has had to deal with the filibusters that Obama has get your facts straight. And Paul every Obama suporter I know pays taxes does Mitt? And Hell no you can't answer that question nobody can we can't see his tax returns

I voted for President Obama today. I'm proud to call him my President. The Economy is in an uptick. Job growth is steady. Bin Laden is Dead. The Auto Industry is alive and well. And, I can't be denied Medical Treatment because I have an "existing Health issue". Thank you Mr. President for genuinely caring about us. As for that Cardboard Cut-Out…Please go away!

Robert Vessey That sounds like a solution without a problem, the Auto companies are doing well enough to start up in other countries, those jobs are for the cars that are going to be sold in those countries, It sounds to me like the Republicans are coming up with excuses to complain because Obama saved the Industry so any thing they can complain about they will complain about, I say let those companies do their thing in those countries, as long as it's not affecting the jobs here, That's the bottom line!!!

I am a financial service professional with an MS in Economics you stereotyping fool! I guess you're a racist. I worked very hard to get where I am. I am veteran of the Iraq War and United States Marine Corps…So you better watch what you say to me.

Age old idea that the American people can take care of themselves, really? Long live the king lol…… So money and jobs dictate what freedoms you are willing to give up? Gary I put my life on the line for your fucking freedoms you will not take them from me. The president and the government can not do whatever they want, people like you are willing to let that happen, let them buy your vote. Not mine, not ever. As for defense spending really……That is the federal gov. job is to defend us from foreign invaders.

Donald, You are a prime example of how the GOP full of racist rednecks turds . I probably have more education than you. I've worked hard all my life. And you stereotype me cause to you Im just a N**** not a vet that served his country, Not a guy who used his GI bill to go to graduate school. You seriously need to educate yourself buddy and stop being so asininely ignorant before you stereotype a person for the color of their skin. Well, As USMC vet of Iraq and financial services professional, I am probably 10 times the man you are.

Accually i have worked hard also and I am a vet, that served in Desert Storm. I also used my GI bill to educate myself with two degrees one in electrical engineering the other in mechanical engineering. I work a full time career with a military contractor to this day and have since I took my leave from the air force. As far as you saying its racist isn't that the typical sterotype that all libtards use when they can not come up with a valid arguement?

You started this by assuming I was a lazy person on welfare because I am democrat and black, but you were actually bashing a fellow vet. You were the first to stereotype bro. You were stereotyping one way or another and there is no way around it. We are both probably hardworking people and who love our country but there is no need to make rude stereotypes. like the one you made above which you had no basis for. I am not a race baiter, but if somebody calls me a welfare recipient I am assume you are assuming that on the basis of race.

Funny how you will bust on a mormon, but vote for a Muslim. Somebody has their magic MORON diapers on. And I'm not a momon, nor do I agree w/their religious background. I'm a Christian, but at least I'm not an idiot and vote because of their religion. But if I was…I certainly wouldn't vote for a.Muslim who days he's a Christian. Croiky, it amazes me how ridiculously retarded people are…

*listens to the crickets* Nothing else from the peanut gallery, I guess. Well said Mr. Vessey, I enjoyed your posts. Steve Sommers tried to convince us up the page a little that bailing out motor companies is no less of a government duty than paying police, firemen and our military. The logic in that is staggeringly scary, even from a misled left winger.

Florida won't be totally tallied until probably midnight. I just came from voting and waited in line for 3 1/2 hours because we had only one scanning machine and we had to stand and wait to scan our ballots in order for them to be counted.

They said that anybody who was in line at 7 would be able to vote. When I left, the line was 1/3 again as long as it was when i started, so those poor souls were going to be in line for at least 4 hours. My precinct wasn't the worst either. Some of my friends were told 5 hours. So, potentially, if it's a 5-hour wait for folks who get off work and show up at 7, the voting won't even be over until midnight.

How amazingly inefficient and embarrassing, but there you go. Sorry from Florida, all!

Billy Jennings MANY presidents have had to deal with an opposition house and Senate and they WORKED WITH them. not just push their own agenda and then when it didn't work whine and cry that nothing got done. Now you can sit there and whine and cry how nothing got done again for four more years and wonder why because you have a moron in office who does NOT know how to work with the opposition and cries about it. Yet he "claimed"he would, just like cut the deficit, bring jobs, Which it's STILL higher then when he took office, economy still in the tank, and yet people like you are looking for excuses instead of seeing there is TWO sides to everything.

BTW they did see his tax returns, Billy, that's why the issue died, because they found out Romney donated 15 mil to charity and did not claim it, iunlike you "caring" president who claimed all of his charity donations.

Michael D Haas No Michael I'm a 52 year old white male who spent 6 years in the military so MORONS like you can spew all the Bulls**t you want, and as for IQ 's I'd be more than happy to compare mine with yours anyday. As one who's entire family lives in Massachusetts. I'll take thier word about what Romney did to thier state over yours anyday pal. And Michael, Romney lost Massachusetts by 23 % points.

Michael D Haas Not for nothin, but it was anticipated LONG before election day that he was gonna lose Mass. They REALLY don't like him there. He didn't take his state (or his home state for that matter) and neither did Ryan. Isn't that a big red flag that the majority of voters may have made the right decision?

Um no, Florida was called for Gore first and then was retracted by all the major networks. It was then called for Bush late because he was winning at the time, but there had to be a recount because it was so close. And Bush won the recount.

I don't see why, Rasmussen had the electoral college 237-206 for Obama with the other states too close to call and within the margin of error, which obviously went for Obama. They were a couple of points off their national poll after being the most accurate last election. They did however like a few other people underestimate the democratic turnout. But we'll see if that turnout is here to stay with someone other than Obama at the top of ticket. Should be interesting.

Jamie, Romney's a successful businessman in part because he cuts his labor costs by buying successful American companies, training Chinese workers, closing the USA plant, and moving the plant overseas. That's not rhetoric – that's fact. He may be a brilliant businessman but that doesn't imply that his acumen is beneficial to our country.

Rick Evans he paid a smaller percentage in taxes than the typical American worker who exists under the poverty line, plus they've found out that he has accounts set up offshore stuffed full of money that they suspect that he never paid taxes on. C'mon now. Do your homework before repeating what you hear.

What, 50.1% doesn't count as "entire" anymore? Well, shit, there goes the mandate. In all seriousness, we're a severely divided nation right now. If we want to reach what I believe to be a common goal–seeing America thrive–then we need to set aside some of these differences and move forward together. It's easy to say that when my party wins, I know, but I like to think that I'd be of a similar mindset were the situation reversed. At the end of the day, we're all on the same side.

No Rasmussen was not the most accurate last electio Nate Silver and his 538 blog was. And as one who checked the Rasmussen polls everyday on Tuesday Rasmussen had Romney leading in the battle ground states

I will say this: I did misinterrupt what was said, that I am not part of the "parasite" group. However, I do feel that expressing 47% of Americans are essentially parasites was in poor taste (of the 46.4%, I believe that the majority of them legally follow the tax code without taking unfair advantage of the system). Also, I do not believe that the 47% comment was mainly taken out of context.

Amy, if you happen to read this, I did not write the above to be in response of what you said earlier today. Rather, I wanted to admit where I was wrong with what I originally wrote. What you said was in good humor